A Lauderhill couple says they feared for their lives when a confrontation tied to their teenage daughter's fight escalated into gunfire outside their home, with someone macing the woman, hurling a brick at their car window, and then opening fire while the couple sat inside the vehicle. April and David, who are withholding their last name because they are unsure whether they're still in danger, say Lauderhill police are now investigating the shooting.
The trouble started, according to April and David, after their daughter got into a fight with other girls. A group of teens and a parent then showed up at the couple's Lauderhill home, as first reported by NBC 6 South Florida. April and David were sitting in their car at the time, while their daughter was inside the house.
The group reportedly asked whether April lived at the home and demanded to know who her daughter was. Then, per the couple's account, someone sprayed mace directly in April's face. Someone threw a brick at the car window. Then someone started shooting at the vehicle with April and David still inside.
Couple Says They Fled as Shots Rang Out
David sped off once the gunfire started, later telling the outlet he drove away because there was nothing else he could do in the moment. The couple called police only after they had put distance between themselves and the scene. April says she is still traumatized by what happened and that she genuinely believed she and David were about to die.
“I thought we were going to die,” April said, describing the terror of being trapped in the car as bullets struck it.
April says she believes she knows what led up to the shooting and insists an adult led underage children to the home before the violence unfolded. She says she wants everyone involved — teens and adults alike — caught and held accountable. The family has since started a GoFundMe fundraiser as they cope with the aftermath.
What Investigators Are Still Waiting On
Lauderhill police say they currently have limited information about the shooting and are waiting for April to sit down with a detective to provide more details. Investigators say they need additional information before the case can move forward.
Under Florida law, the conduct described — macing a person, throwing a brick at a car window, and firing shots into a vehicle with people inside — could expose those responsible to some of the state's most serious felony charges. Florida Statute § 790.19 makes it a second-degree felony to wantonly or maliciously shoot or throw a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, with bullets and rocks among the examples, carrying up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to The Florida Senate. Florida courts have interpreted that statute broadly to cover both firearm and non-firearm projectiles capable of causing serious harm.
Separately, Florida Statute § 790.15 treats discharging a firearm outdoors on residential property as a first-degree misdemeanor, while firing from inside a vehicle within 1,000 feet of another person is charged as a second-degree felony, per the same legislative statutes. If minors are ultimately found responsible for property damage, Florida Statute § 741.24 also allows victims to pursue civil recovery of actual property damages from parents living with a minor under 18, though that remedy is limited to damages and court costs.
A String of Recent Violence in Lauderhill
This shooting adds to a run of violent incidents Lauderhill has grappled with in recent months. In August, police opened a homicide investigation after an adult man was found fatally shot in the 1500 block of Northwest 33rd Avenue, a case Hoodline previously reported had no named suspect at the time. In June 2025, police arrested a 32-year-old man on two counts of attempted murder after a ShotSpotter system detected 12 gunshots during a courtyard altercation that injured two teenagers, according to Local 10 News. And in February 2025, the outlet reported that Lauderhill police charged a 15-year-old in the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old, following a multi-week investigation by city homicide detectives.
The investigation into April and David's case comes as Lauderhill police undergo a major leadership change. Chief Constance Stanley, who is retiring after 32 years of service, is retiring, with the city selecting former North Miami Assistant Police Chief Angel Rivera as her successor effective November 2, according to Caribbean National Weekly.
Broward County Crime Stoppers' anonymous tip line is 954-493-TIPS.
